Question: sensitive to contact lenses...

Hi, all.

I was a soft-contact lens wearer some years ago, but had to give it up
because my left eye didn't want to tolerate them.

I recently popped in to see my eye guy, and learned of the new Day &
Night lenses. Very exciting.

I tried some dailies for a few days, just to make sure my left eye
wasn't going to be stubborn; and though I could 'feel' the lens a bit
more in the left, I was not bothered.

So I signed up for the Day & Nights, and it was great - for the first 4
nights. A little blurry in the morning, but that cleared up in a few
minutes.

Then, at about 2am on the 5th night, I woke up feeling like someone had
dropped sand or flour in my left eye. I pulled the lenses out, and even
Visine hurt like a S.O.B. at that moment. The irritation passed after
about 15 minutes.

I left them out until morning, and the next day was fine. Today, things
are fine as well.

I'm not sure what to make of this - might my left eye have been
slightly open for awhile while I was asleep? Or could my eye just have
decided to reject the thing - after 5 days and 4 nights?

Perhaps it's a question of not 'pushing it' - maybe 4 nights is the
longest duration I should leave them in for.

I really don't want to abandon the whole premise, unless there's some
danger of permanent damage. I also still don't see why one eye would be
picky and not the other...

Any insights would be appreciated!

Cheers,

DW

In article <(E-Mail Removed). com>,
"DW" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Hi, all.
>
> I was a soft-contact lens wearer some years ago, but had to give it up
> because my left eye didn't want to tolerate them.
>
> I recently popped in to see my eye guy, and learned of the new Day &
> Night lenses. Very exciting.
>
> I tried some dailies for a few days, just to make sure my left eye
> wasn't going to be stubborn; and though I could 'feel' the lens a bit
> more in the left, I was not bothered.
>
> So I signed up for the Day & Nights, and it was great - for the first 4
> nights. A little blurry in the morning, but that cleared up in a few
> minutes.
>
> Then, at about 2am on the 5th night, I woke up feeling like someone had
> dropped sand or flour in my left eye. I pulled the lenses out, and even
> Visine hurt like a S.O.B. at that moment. The irritation passed after
> about 15 minutes.
>
> I left them out until morning, and the next day was fine. Today, things
> are fine as well.
>
> I'm not sure what to make of this - might my left eye have been
> slightly open for awhile while I was asleep? Or could my eye just have
> decided to reject the thing - after 5 days and 4 nights?
>
> Perhaps it's a question of not 'pushing it' - maybe 4 nights is the
> longest duration I should leave them in for.
>
> I really don't want to abandon the whole premise, unless there's some
> danger of permanent damage. I also still don't see why one eye would be
> picky and not the other...
>
> Any insights would be appreciated!
>
> Cheers,
>
> DW

There are a number of possible explanations for what you experienced.

The lens might not fit correctly, either inappropriate curve or diameter
and you need to be re-fit. The design might be incompatible with your
eye, in which case try O2Optix or Purevision, or Acuvue Advance for
daily wear use. Or you might have a cornea epithelial defect that is
aggravated by the lens when there is inadequate lubrication from your
tears, in which case avoid overnight use and use re-wetting drops during
the day.

For now, don't sleep in them and see your doctor for a contact lens
fitting evaluation.

--LB, O.D.

My first guess is that the latter is most likely.

I guess it's still worth pursuing, even if I can't keep them in for 5
days at a time; being able to tolerate them through the day is
definitely a step up.

I think that as a first step, I'll go for days only for a few days, and
slowly step up the time until I confirm if the duration I have them in
before I experience a problem is consistent.

Thanks!

Yup. Sounds like a classic case of RCE, or recurrent corneal erosion
syndrome, which is most often a unilateral condition.

DrG

In article <(E-Mail Removed). com>,
"Dr. Leukoma" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Yup. Sounds like a classic case of RCE, or recurrent corneal erosion
> syndrome, which is most often a unilateral condition.

And thank goodness for that! (just one eye). It's my issue, BTW, which
was caused years ago by a little poke in the eye by an oleander bush.

RGP lenses are no problem, but a dehydrated hydrogel soft lens rips the
epithelium off. Silicone lenses are far better, but once they develop
mucin deposits on the posterior surface, all it takes is a little rub
and off comes the piece of epithelium.

I write this so readers can appreciate what it is we eye doctors can do
to figure out the causes of contact lens related problems and then find
the appropriate lens material and design that will work best for that
individual. For some people, getting the "just right" contact lens is
not a simple as picking any old lens at random from some internet lens
seller. For anyone who wants the best contact lens experience and long
term eye health, a skilled practitioner is important.

LB, O.D.

Hmmm. Well - I guess if I confirm that this is the issue, I should
count my blessings and be thankful I can wear lenses through the day.

For now, anyway.

Thanks!

DW.

You know, something else just occurred to me. I do intent to visit the
Dr. to discuss, but this may add another variable.

When I woke up in all that pain, after I pulled the lenses out, I tried
a few drops of Visine. I found that extremely irritating at the time,
but what's interesting is that it wasn't just the surface of the eye
that was irritated; I also found it rather painful in the medial part
of the eye opening - pardon my lack of vocabulary, but the fleshy bit
to the medial side of the eye, right next to the side of my nose.

Anyway - no lens tissue was even close to touching that area, and yet
it was just as sensitive to the Visine as my cornea was.

Weird.

Oh well; I'll continue to monitor things. ;-)